Electric coupling.



. *r crans kpara risica.

H BERT D. MEEKER, OF NISKAYUNA, NEW YORK, ASSIG1\TOR TO GENEL ELECTRIC YCOMEANY, A. CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC COUPLING.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2li, lgl.

Application led .T une 26, 1914. Serial No. 847,525.

is essential that some means be provided forreadily connecting the wiresin one car with those in the next. For this purpose various forms ofelectric couplers have been devised, some of which are automaticallyconnected upon the coupling together of the cars. ln order to v securegood electrical contact between the coacting members, it is importantthat the contacts be protected from snow, ice, dirt and moisture.

It is, then, the object of my invention to provide such a protectingmeans foran electric coupler. Further, I have sought to produce such aprotecting cover that it will noty interfere with the automatic actionof the `coupler and inpwhich the cover will be removed and replacedautomatically.

My invention will be more readily understood from-an inspection of theaccompanyingdrawing, in which Figure 1 is a side view partly in sectionshowing the couplers ,separated and the cover in closed position. L

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the couplers in contact and the coversdisplaced.

Fig. 3 is a fragmental longitudinal vertical section of the arrangementshown in.

Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an end view of one of the couplers showing the cover in anopen position.

Each coupler comprises va body portion 1 provided with a suitablebracket 2 for rigid attachment to the draw bar of'a vehicle. The bodyportion is hollow and at its outer end carries an insulation member 3,in which are 'suitable electrical contacts 4, Ihere shown asspring-pressedplungers. The wires are brought through the body portionin anysuitable manner, as in the form of a cable 5,

and are then attached to the contacts 4. All this, however, is of theusual construction and vforms no part of my invention.

Surrounding the body portion is a sleeve 10 arranged to slide thereon,and this sleeve is guided by means of a rod v11 passing through a fixedguide 12. A spring 13 surrounds the rod 11 and forces the sleeveoutwardly toward the end of the body portion carrying the contacts.Pivotally attached to the sleeve 10 by means of lugs 20 is a cover 21which Iis held against the body portion preferably by means of asuitable spring 22.

This cover 21 will usually be formed with a central rib 23 which servesas a cam member resting againstl a coperating cam 24 attached to thelower side of the body portion in order to accurately control movementsof the cover and prevent injury to the contactsV or body portion. A slot14 is formed in the sleeve 10 at the lower side, in order to allow it toass along the piece forming the cam 24. t its rear end, however, across-piece 15 on the sleeve 10 serves yto limit the movement of thelatter by abutting the stop formed bythe rear end of the piece formingthe cam 24.

v"ils will be seen by an inspection of the drawing, the forward end ofthe sleeve l0 is enlarged at the lower side at 10 and cut away i`n orderto allow the admission of the cover 21, and the elements are so shapedthat they coact to form-a substantially tight closurey over the contacts4. The edges of theV cover 21 rest against a ledge18 formed on the innerside ofthe sleeve, a central recess 19 being provided for ,the admissionof the end of the cam rib 23.

ln its normal position, the sleeve 10,l carrying the cover 21, will beextended as shown -in Fig. 1 by the action of the'spring 13,

while the cover willk be held 'upwardly l against the sleeve and overthe contact members by the action ofthe spring 22. lf two vehicles suplied with similar couplers are now brought together, the outer end 16of the sleeve, serving as a buer, will force the same backwardly againstthe action of the spring. The cam 23 upon the hinged cover ico l willthen ride along the cam 24 upon the body portion and cause the cover tovbe moved downwardly and away from the oo ntacts, exposing the same sothat Similar con-l tacts upon `the two couplers will be pressed`together and close the appropriate circuits.

As long as the vehicles are held in lthis re`. lation by means of theircouplings, the buffers 16 will be held in contact by the springs 13 andwill. cover the upper side of the coupler.v Frdwm an inspectlon ofFig.vv 3, 'it will be seen that the body portions are provided withoverlapping edges 17 which `further servev to protect the contacts fromthe admission of dirt or moisture. A v

As soon as the vehicles are uncoupled, however, the springs 13 willforce the sleeves 10 outwardly, andthe springs 22 will press the covers21` against 'the bodyA portion, so that as soon as the cams 23 and 24permit, the cover will be forced into its closed position,

and, cooperating with the overhanging endA -of the sleeve 10, will forma practically tight closure which will fully protect the contacts l fromthe admission of dust or moisture. At

the same time, the 'cross-piece 15, abuttingagainst the rearfend of thepiece forming the cam 24, will revent'further outward movement of the seeve 10 and retain the protectin' members upon the coupler. v

t will hus be seen that I have attained the object of my invention, inprovidinV a .protecting means f for an electric vcoup er, which is,moreover, automatlcally actuated by the bringing together of thecouplers lw-ithout the necessityrof manual intervention. ,f n

I conceive that various modifications and changes in the exactconstruction of the arrangement which I have illustrated could readilybe made, and I, accordingly, d o not desire to be limited thereto, butseek to cover in the appended claims all such modications and changes asfall within the truel scope and spirit of lmy invention.

What I claim as new and desire to Isecure by Letters Patent of 'the'United States, is

1. In an automatic electric'coupler, a body portion, contacts carriedthereby adjacent one lend thereof, -a member relatively movable withrespect to said body portion and adapted to be retracted or extended,and a cover operated by said member to expose said contacts` when saidmember is retracted andto coact with said m-ember to inclose saidcontacts when said member is extended.

2'. In an electric coupler, a body portion, contact members carriedthereby adjacent one end thereof, a member relatively movable withrespect to ,said body portion and adapted to be retracted'or extended,and a cover operated by said member to expose said contacts when saidmember 'is retracted and to coact with said member to inclose saidportion of said sleeve to inclose said contacts contacts when saidmember is extended and rmeans operatively connected to said member,tending to maintain the same in its extended position.` f

\ 3. an electric coupler, a body portion contacts carried therebyadjacent one en thereof, a member slidably mounted upon .said bodyportion and'adapted to be retracted or extended beyond theend thereof, aspring tending to maintainA said member in its extended position, acover pivotally 'sup- 75 ported on sa1d member and means whereby saidcover is moved to coact with said member to inclose said contact memberswhen said 'member is extended and to expose said c contact members whenthe member is retracted.

4. In an electric coupler, a body portion,

contacts carriedl thereby adjacentl one end thereof, a sleeve slidablyAmounted on said body portion and adapted to be retracted or extended,and a cover operated by said sleeve to expose said contacts when thesleeve is retracted and tocovxer said contacts when the sleeve isextended. j

5. In an electric coupler, a body portion, contacts carried therebyadjacent one end thereof, `a sleeve slidably mounted on said body'ortion and adapted to be retracted or exten ed, said sleeve having aportion which 'projects beyond said contacts when the sleeve' 95 1s`extended, and a cover operated by said sleeve to expose said contactswhen the sleeve 1s retracted and to coact with the projecting when thesleeve is extended.

6. An electric,coupler comprising a body portion, contacts carriedthereby ladjacent one end thereof, a sleeve slidably .arranged gw. uponsaid body portion and adapted to proy jectbeyond the end thereof, arOdfor guid- 105 ing said sleeve, a spring surrounding said rod andarranged to prpject said sleeve,

lmeans for limiting the movement of said u sleeve, a cover pivotallyattached to said sleeve and arranged to cover said contacts when saidsleeve is projected, a sprin arranged to press said cover toward saidody portion, a cam surface on said body portion, and a coperating'camsurface on said cover whereby said sleeve and cover normally prolLac-ma? a spring arranged to said cover to- In witness whereof, havevhereunto set ward said body portion, a cam surface on my hand this 25thday of June,1914. said body portion, and a coperating camv .1 RBERT DER.

surface on said cover whereby said sleeve and cover normally protectsaid contacts and Witn automatically ex ose the same when tho sleeve isretrac

